Beta Testing for Teaching Strategies

Last Updated: Jan 08, 2016 04:09PM EST

Getting set up on the beta version of a Teaching Strategies app is super easy! There are two separate sets of instructions below - one for if you're using an Apple device and one for if you're using an Android. In either case, once you're connected, you'll get early access to new features within the app and will be providing valuable feedback and data to our developers! We're super excited to have you as a beta tester - let's get started!

We set up beta testing on Apple devices using a service called Crashlytics - to get started, click the invitation link that was provided to you (on a computer or on your device).

You'll be brought to the page below, which will ask for your email address. Enter an email address that you will have access to open on the iPad. It does not need to be the email address you use for your Tadpoles account. It could be work or personal, all you have to do is open a confirmation email there! :) Any address is fine, but because you'll have to open the message on the device, it is usually wise to use an address that is easily accessible through the iPad's web browser, such as a Yahoo, Gmail, etc.

Once you enter your email and click sign up, check your email on the iPad. Doing this will likely require you to use the Safari app to on the iPad to access the web, which you may have blocked. The icon looks like this.

If you do have it blocked (you'll know because there won't be a Safari icon on your home screen), open the iPad Settings > General > Restrictions > Enter Code > Enable Safari (you'll want it to be green). This will re-enable safari, so the icon will pop up on the home page of the iPad.

Once you're in your email account on the iPad, you'll see a message like the one below, which asks you to confirm your email address. Go ahead and click, "Let me in!"

Once you click that button, you'll be brought to a page that asks for your name - please enter the name of your school in that box and tap, "Next."

You'll be brought to a page which gives you instructions on how to install the Beta program (it's really just a bookmarked webpage - nothing scary!)

Click install and agree to the changes (again - nothing scary, just a new bookmark on your home screen!)

You can open the new bookmark on your home screen (which looks like this):

That will take you to one last page where you'll receive a message telling you that you're all set and to wait for a second email. You will need to use Safari again later, so it would be wise to leave it enabled for the time being!

At this point in the process, our development team receives a message asking them to add you to a, "Build" (which is a fancy name for a new version of the app). Once you're added to a build, you'll receive a second email.

The second email (which may take an hour or so to arrive) will invite you to move forward. Follow the instructions and click the new, "Beta" icon on the home screen. Again, the icon looks like the image below and will open a window in Safari.

There, you'll see the apps that you've been invited to test. Click the app to download the most recent version.

Note that if you already have the app store version of the app you're testing, there won't be a second beta version on the home screen, it will just upgrade your app store version to the beta!

You're all set! Whenever a new version of an app is available, you'll receive a notification when you open the app, asking if you'd like to download it. Staying up to date on those versions brings you new features and helps our developers, so we encourage you to download them whenever they're available!

We genuinely appreciate your help making our app even better! If you have any feedback on features or if you run into any trouble, please reach out to us at hello@tadpoles.com. Thanks again!

Setting up beta testing on Android is super easy! The only thing you'll need to get started is the regular Play Store version of the app you'll be testing (if you don't already have it!)

Once you're ready, open the invitation link that was provided to you in the web browser of your device.

Click, "Become a tester." This allows us to give you access to the beta app through your Google account. The screen will remind you that you'll need to download the regular Play Store version of the app. If you haven't already, go ahead and download that!

Once it's ready (which may take a few hours), we'll send you an invitation to update that app to the beta version.

With that, you're all set!

We genuinely appreciate your help making our app even better! If you have any feedback on features or if you run into any trouble, please reach out to us at hello@tadpoles.com. Thanks again!

Have a question? We love hearing from you! Reach out to our support team anytime at hello@tadpoles.com!